Christmas Traditions

I have told you before that I don't have a very big family. Marshal and I are both only children. My cousins (while I have a ton of them) are all ,13 years up to 29 years, older then me. Therefore, this time of year always brings about a little sadness for me. My children have no aunts and uncles to spoil them or cousins to play with. It is just me, Marshal, the kiddos and my parents. I am a lucky girl to have parents that are so active in my children's lives. I wouldn't trade it for anything. However, the older I get the more I long for a house full of relatives for the holidays.

I can remember as a little girl gathering with my mom's six brothers and sister and all of their children. It was magical. My grandparents were there and since I was the baby of everything I was surrounded by attention and love. I wish I had that to offer to my children.

I told my mom she could have a couple of more children. She didn't really think that was a good idea. So I don't think the big family filled home thing is going to happen. I don't have control of the size of my family, but I can control the way we celebrate the season of Christmas. I hope by establishing some Christmas traditions my children will be able to cherish their childhood memories as much as I did.

Watson Family Traditions:

1. We decorate our Christmas tree only with ornaments that have special meaning. We get a new ornament each year that sums up what has happened in our lives that year. Ex: new baby, new home, special trips, etc. Our tree may not be a Martha Stewart tree but it is decorated with love and special memories.

   




2. We go to Branson each year for one weekend in December to see the Christmas lights. Ashlynn has grown to absolutely love this and talks about it all year.



3. We go to Christmas Eve candlelight service. This is my favorite worship service of the year. When the sanctuary is filled with hundreds of people holding candles-it is nothing short of breath taking.



4. We hang stockings for everyone. Including our pets. Stockings are my favorite Christmas decoration ever. I love opening the stockings on Christmas morning and seeing all of the neat little goodies stuffed inside.


5. We adopt an angel off the angel tree that is the same age as our children. This is something special I use to do with my dad. He would help me pick a child that was the same age as me and take me shopping for that little girl. I love that this year Ashlynn was old enough to kind of understand what it meant to buy for someone else.


6. We decorate with nativity scenes. I love looking at them. I love being reminded why we are celebrating.


7. We get family pictures taken around this time every year. I know a lot of people just get pictures of the kids. It is so important to me to have a family picture taken. I want my children to be able to look back on the memories of how we all grew and changed. Marshal lost his dad at an early age. I wish they had more family pictures to look back on.


8. We always wake up at home on Christmas morning. This is one of the advantages to the small family thing. I don't have to work my Christmas plans around anyone else. Once Ashlynn was born I have been adamant that she be able to wake up in her own house on Christmas morning. Santa leaves the gifts out for her ( and now Jaxton too) and it is such a special time for us.

I know you all have your own things that help you celebrate the season. I hope you enjoyed reading some of the things that are important to me. Have a very Merry Christmas!